Electronic token data carrier systems have been used in many applications and have proven to be a source for portable information solutions. For example, electronic token systems have been used in data logging applications wherein a portable electrical/electronic token device stores user and/or other information for transport of data to/from a remote station; in access control applications where a portable token device stores information to be verified by an access control program or system; in cashless vending or cash token applications wherein a portable electrical/electronic token device stores a value (e.g., cash value or number of credits, etc.) that is decremented after, for example, vending a product, and can be recharged with additional value; and in security applications wherein a portable electrical/electronic token device stores personal identification information that is valid only when the electrical/electronic token device is being used by the owner or authorized personnel of the electrical/electronic token device.
Electronic token data carrier systems can typically involve a master circuit or electrical operating system of some kind, such as a computer system, activated by use of a portable token-like device which is combined with the electrical system, as by insertion into a suitable receptacle or the like, to make electrical contact or connection with the system. Prior electronic token data carrier systems include various embodiments of electrical/electronic token devices and electrical token receptacles disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,679, entitled “RECEPTACLE DEVICE,” issued on Jun. 21, 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,915, entitled “RECEPTACLE DESIGN FOR USE WITH ELECTRONIC KEY-LIKE DEVICE,” issued on Apr. 21, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,456, entitled “ELECTRONIC TAG RECEPTACLE AND READER,” issued on Jun. 11, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,088, entitled “RECEPTACLE DESIGN FOR USE WITH ELECTRONIC KEY-LIKE DEVICE,” issued on Oct. 28, 1986; U.S. Design Pat. No. D345,686, entitled “ELECTRICAL INFORMATION KEY,” issued on Apr. 5, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,573, entitled “PORTABLE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION DEVICES AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE,” issued on Mar. 25, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,076, entitled “ORIENTATION GUIDE ARRANGEMENT FOR ELECTRONIC KEY AND RECEPTACLE COMBINATION,” issued on Oct. 22, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,993, entitled “ELECTRONIC KEY,” issued on Mar. 13, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,703, entitled “APPARATUS FOR ENCODING ELECTRICAL IDENTIFICATION DEVICES BY MEANS OF SELECTIVELY FUSIBLE LINKS,” issued on Dec. 17, 1991; U.S. Design Pat. No. D291,897, entitled “IDENTIFICATION TAG,” issued on Sep. 15, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,125, entitled “MICROELECTRONIC MEMORY KEY WITH RECEPTACLE AND SYSTEMS THEREFOR,” issued on Apr. 20, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,569, entitled “MICROELECTRONIC MEMORY KEY WITH RECEPTACLE AND SYSTEMS THEREFOR,” issued on Oct. 27, 1981; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/177,016, entitled “RF TOKEN AND RECEPTACLE SYSTEM AND METHOD,” filed Jul. 21, 2008; and International Patent Application No. PCT/US2008/074888, entitled “EDGE CONNECTOR DATA CARRIER SYSTEM AND METHOD,” filed Aug. 29, 2008; all of which are assigned to Datakey Electronics, Inc., the assignee of the present application, and all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The above-referenced electronic token data carrier systems disclose electrical/electronic token devices and receptacles. In general, a circuit or electrical operation system is activated by use of a portable token device that is inserted into a receptacle or the like to make electrical contact or connection with such circuit or electrical operation system. In the majority of the above-referenced systems, such electrical contact or connection is generally made by rotating the token device after the token is fully inserted into the receptacle, whereby a plurality of cantilever spring contacts or “bent metal” contacts of the receptacle mate with contacts of the token device. Electrical pathways or wires/traces in the receptacle electrically connect the cantilever spring contacts to an interface of the receptacle. The interface carries electrical signals between the token device and the circuit or electrical operation system.
The referenced prior art discloses electrical key-like devices in which a master circuit or electrical operating system of some kind, such as a computer system, is activated by use of a portable key-like device or token which is combined with the electrical system, as by insertion into a suitable receptacle or the like, to make electrical contact or connection with the system. The various embodiments described herein improve upon the typical electronic token data carrier systems, and particularly, improve upon electronic token data carrier systems and concepts by using on-mount electronic data carrier token devices and receptacles and methods related thereto.
There exists a need in the art for rugged electronic token data carrier systems with compact footprints.